17 November 2013

Traffic Mythbusting in Copenhagen

Loads of fun infographics hitting the internet up to the municipal elections in Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark on Tuesday. In this one from the Copenhagen Traffic Mythbusters Facebook group, Lord Mayor Frank Jensen gets another slap.

"Frank Jensen talks a lot about alternative transport, but he votes for a harbour tunnel and more parking for people from the suburbs."

The large graph:
This is how the citizens of Copenhagen get to work or place of education in the city.
Car: 14%
Other: 86% (Cycling, bus/train, walking)

The small graph at top right:
Trips to places of work or education located in Copenhagen Municipality.
Car: 25%
(Includes all trips, including those starting in another municipality)

The small graph at bottom right:
All trips that start or end in Copenhagen.
Car: 33%
(Again, all trips, including those starting - or ending - in another municipality.

Tagline:
Respect for Copenhagen is a traffic policy for the large majority.
("Respect for Copenhagen" is Frank Jensen's campaign slogan)

@Mikael - In a previous post you'd said that everyone expects Jensen to retain his seat, so I'm wondering how the politics of all this play out in Copenhagen. I find it surprising that car trips are such a small minority for Copenhagers, yet big spending road projects aren't political suicide. What policies does Jensen espouse that would lead to him continuing to receive votes. Or is it just the party brand?

@Clyde - Let's not get carried away. Toronto remove a bike lane, not all bike lanes (and, in fairness, installed a parallel cycle track three blocks over from the lane that was removed). I'm sure Ford would have liked to remove all of them, but his executive powers are limited.

Not that I am a defender of Rob Ford, but he did not rip out all bike lanes in Toronto.

Only a few, including one key arterial street.

Toronto City Council has passed what is in effect a non-confidence vote stripping Mr. Ford of almost all his powers. Council is going ahead with expanding the bike infra network, and with expanding the BIXI bike-share programme.

Kilometres cycled by Copenhageners so far today

Copenhagenize.com is the blog of Copenhagenize Design Company. Online since 2007 and highlighting the cycling life in Copenhagen and around the world.

40 years ago Copenhagen was just as car-clogged as anywhere else but now 41% of the population arriving at work or education do so on bicycles, from all over the Metro area. 55% of Copenhageners themselves use bicycles each day. They all use over 1000 km of bicycle lanes in Greater Copenhagen for their journeys. Copenhagenizing is possible anywhere.